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Merck Foundation Chief Executive Officer (CEO) announce The Gambia First Lady Partnership Journey from 2017 to 2023

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Merck Foundation

Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, recently conducted their annual conference, the 9th Edition of “Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary”

BANJUL, Gambia, March 11, 2023/APO Group/ — 

Merck Foundation (www.Merck-Foundation.com) CEO and The Gambia First Lady meet during 9th Edition of Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary 2022 to approve their future strategy and announce their impact report and call for action to build healthcare capacity and empower women & girls in The Gambia. Merck Foundation is transforming the Patient care landscape and making history together with The Gambia First lady and other partners in Africa, Asia, and beyond. Watch the overview of the 2-day Hybrid 9th Edition of the Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary 2022 here: https://apo-opa.info/3TbX0kf

Merck Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Merck KGaA Germany, recently conducted their annual conference, the 9th Edition of “Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary”. The conference was inaugurated by Prof. Dr. Frank Stangenberg-Haverkamp, Chairman of both of Executive Board of E.Merck KG and Merck Foundation Board of Trustees, and Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej, CEO of Merck Foundation and Chairperson of Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary, and H.E. Mrs. FATOUMATTA BAH-BARROW, The First Lady of the Republic of The Gambia & Ambassador of Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother” along with African First Ladies of Botswana, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Ghana, Liberia, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Sierra Leone, Zambia, Angola and Central Africa.

H.E. Mrs. FATOUMATTA BAH-BARROW, The First Lady of The Gambia & Ambassador of Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother”. She is our long-term partner since 2017. We had a long meeting during 9th edition of our Luminary to discuss our joint programs and strategy and report its impact. I am proud to share that together we have provided 34 scholarships to young Gambian doctors in many critical and underserved specialties including Fertility & Embryology, Oncology, Diabetes, Endocrinology, Sexual & Reproductive Medicine, Respiratory Medicine and Acute Medicine. Together, we are making history in The Gambia by providing training to first specialists in many fields such as Oncology, Respiratory, Fertility, Embryology, Reproductive Care, Diabetes, Endocrinology and more.”

H.E. Mrs. FATOUMATTA BAH-BARROW, The First Lady of The Gambia & Ambassador of Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother” emphasized, “Our partnership journey is growing from strength to strength as we have achieved many important and significant milestones since 2017, when I hosted Merck Foundation CEO and together, we launched the programs in my country. Together we have been able to provide 34 medical scholarships to our young doctors. We consider it to be a very high number for our country and will contribute significantly to The Gambia’s health security and its economic and social development.

Together we are also working on various initiatives to raise awareness about critical social and health issues like Breaking Infertility Stigma, supporting Girl Education, Stopping GBV, Ending Child Marriage & FGM, diabetes & hypertension awareness. We have launched together 7 children’s storybooks on these issues to sensitize them from young ages. Furthermore, we have also launched awards of best media, song, film and fashion designs to encourage our journalists and artists to raise awareness on these important topics”.

Watch partnership journey of Merck Foundation with The Gambia First Lady: https://apo-opa.info/3ZRFC6M

Watch the video of The First Lady of The Gambia & Ambassador of Merck Foundation “More Than a Mother” during the Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary 2022 here: https://apo-opa.info/3ZIAPou

On day 2 of the Luminary, Merck Foundation First Ladies Initiative- MFFLI committee meeting was also conducted between The First Ladies and Merck Foundation Chairman and CEO. During the MFFLI committee meeting, the future strategy of 2023 was discussed and the impact of their partnership programs since 2017, were announced.  

“I personally enjoyed our reading session of Children’s storybooks created by Merck Foundation, ‘Jackline’s Rescue’ – to focus on the importance of Girl Education and highlight the immoral practices of society including child marriage & dowry system; and ‘A Ride Into The Future’ – to emphasize on the importance of empowering girls through education. It was my favorite part of MFFLI committee, I hope we keep doing this every year”, Senator Rasha Kelej emphasized.

Watch the video of MFFLI committee meeting: https://apo-opa.info/3T9pRph  

During the Luminary, an important one to one meeting between The First Lady of The Gambia and Merck Foundation CEO, Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej was held to discuss the impact of on-going programs and define strategies to further build healthcare and media capacity in The Gambia.

Watch the video of Merck Foundation CEO, Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej receiving The Gambia First Lady, H.E. Mrs. FATOUMATTA BAH-BARROW: https://apo-opa.info/3mMd14s  

Together with The Gambia First Lady, Merck Foundation has made history by providing 34 scholarships so far, out of which 19 scholarships have been provided for Fertility Training and one year Post Graduate Diploma, two-year Master degree in Sexual and Reproductive Medicine, to be the first specialists in The Gambia.

Moreover, 5 scholarships have been provided for Diabetes specialty training, 2 scholarships for the Oncology Fellowship program, 7 scholarships for One Year PG Diploma and two-year Master degree in Acute Medicine and Respiratory Medicine and also 1 scholarship for Two years PG Diploma in Neonatal Medicine, to also be the first specialists in their country.

“Merck Foundation has always believed in the importance of building healthcare capacity and has been working towards this since 2012. We will continue to provide medical training to Gambian doctors in various medical specialties in partnership with the First Lady of The Gambia“, assured Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej.

Merck Foundation also announced the Call for applications for their 8 important awards in partnership with The First Lady of The Gambia

Merck Foundation in partnership with The Gambia First Lady has also initiated their program “Educating Linda”, to support the education of 20 underprivileged but brilliant schoolgirls by providing scholarships till they graduate. Moreover, 3000 sets of essential school items were provided to Gambian school-going girls.

Moreover, Merck Foundation together with The First Lady of Gambia conducted their online Health Media Training and also celebrated the winners of the Merck Foundation Media Recognition Awards. The training was conducted to emphasize on the important and critical role of media to sensitize the communities about the social and health issues such as: breaking infertility stigma, ending child marriage, supporting girl education and diabetes & hypertension prevention and early detection.

Merck Foundation also announced the Call for applications for their 8 important awards in partnership with The First Lady of The Gambia for Media, Musicians, Fashion Designers, Filmmakers, students, and new potential talents in these fields.

Merck Foundation in partnership with The Gambia First Lady has also launched an empowering song to break the stigma around infertility in Africa and the rest of the world as part of ‘More than a Mother’ community awareness campaign. The song urges men to support their wives during the treatment journey of building a family and delivers an important message ‘Fertility is a Shared Responsibility’. It has been written and composed by Sunita, a young female artist from The Gambia.

Link to the song: https://apo-opa.info/3Fg2IMj

The 9th Edition of Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary 2022 was streamed live on the social media handles of Merck Foundation (https://apo-opa.info/3Ykd3hH) and Senator, Dr. Rasha Kelej (https://apo-opa.info/3SfA0AF).

Link to the Facebook live steam of Inaugural Session of Merck Foundation Africa Asia Luminary & African First Ladies High Level Panel: https://apo-opa.info/3J96Kay

Merck Foundation is transforming the Patient care landscape and making history together with its partners in Africa, Asia, and beyond, through:

• 1470 + Scholarships provided by Merck Foundation for doctors from 50 Countries in 32 critical and underserved medical specialties.  

Merck Foundation is also creating a culture shift and breaking the silence about a wide range of social and health issues in Africa and underserved communities through:

• 2200 + Media Persons from more than 50 countries trained to better raise Awareness about different social and health issues

• 8 Different Awards Launched annually for best media coverage, fashion designers, films, and songs

• Around 30 songs to address health and social issues by local singers across Africa

• 8 Children’s Storybooks in three languages – English, French, and Portuguese

• Pan African TV Program “Our Africa by Merck Foundation” addressing Social and Health Issues in Africa through “Fashion and ART with Purpose” Community

• 1000+ Girls from 15 African countries supported through scholarships or school items, annually.

• 9 Social Media Channels with more than 5 Million Followers.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Merck Foundation.

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African Development Bank Partners with Interpol to Combat Financial Crime and Strengthen Anti-Corruption Efforts in Africa

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February 21, 2025

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African Development Bank

According to Interpol’s 2024 Global Financial Fraud Assessment, business email compromise, romance baiting, phishing, and other online frauds pose growing threats to Africa’s digitalized economy

ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast, February 21, 2025/APO Group/ –The African Development Bank Group (www.AfDB.org) has taken a significant step forward in its fight against corruption and financial crime by signing a Letter of Intent with the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) today. The Bank Group is the first multilateral development bank to establish such a collaboration with Interpol.

The Letter of Intent was signed on Wednesday by African Development Bank Group President Dr. Akinwumi Adesina and Interpol Secretary General Valdecy Urquiza, who visited the Bank’s headquarters in Abidjan.

The partnership will enhance collaboration between the Bank’s Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption (https://apo-opa.co/3QrB4ku) and Interpol’s Financial Crime and Anti-Corruption Centre. It will focus on sharing expertise, enhancing investigative capabilities, and developing preventive measures against emerging financial crime threats, including cybercrime, anti-corruption measures, and counter-terrorism financing.

This initiative comes as Africa faces significant challenges of illicit financial flows, estimated at nearly $90 billion annually—a loss of resources that could otherwise be invested in critical development needs including water, sanitation, health, food, and energy infrastructure.

As an institution that deploys approximately $10 billion annually in development financing, with the majority going to government projects, the African Development Bank Group brings crucial insight into regional financial flows and development challenges, Adesina said.

Corruption and financial crime are among the biggest obstacles to economic and social development in Africa and around the world

“This partnership demonstrates our commitment to protecting development resources and ensuring they reach their intended beneficiaries,” said Adesina. “As the world’s most transparent financial institution for two consecutive editions (https://apo-opa.co/41o3TVt) [according to Publish What You Fund’s assessment of sovereign portfolios], we maintain zero tolerance for corruption and terrorism financing. By joining forces with Interpol, we are strengthening our capacity to help African countries build robust systems against money laundering and financial crime.”

Rapid advancements in digital technology have also led to an increase in internet-enabled financial crimes. According to Interpol’s 2024 Global Financial Fraud Assessment, business email compromise, romance baiting, phishing, and other online frauds pose growing threats to Africa’s digitalized economy.

Secretary General Urquiza, who was elected to his position in November 2024, said, “Corruption and financial crime are among the biggest obstacles to economic and social development in Africa and around the world. The evolving nature of financial crime, particularly in the digital environment, requires strong partnerships between law enforcement and financial institutions. Interpol’s closer relationship with the African Development Bank Group will help law enforcement agencies and financial institutions across Africa tackle increasingly sophisticated financial crime threats.”

Adesina said the Bank will continue to tackle these challenges by:

  • Building capacity and supporting African countries in strengthening transparent and accountable governance and strong institutions capable of driving inclusive and sustainable growth and resilient economies.
  • Strengthening Know Your Customer and Due Diligence systems to prevent and to fight fraud and corruption.
  • Ensure that the Bank’s resources are used for their intended purposes in a transparent and accountable manner, a practice that has led to the Bank being recognized for two consecutive editions as the most transparent multilateral development bank in the world by Publish What You Fund.

The high-level Interpol delegation that accompanied Secretary General Urquiza included Mr. Silvino Schlickmann, Director of Governance and Ms. Paule Ouedraogo, Head of Interpol’s Regional Bureau.

The African Development Bank Group was represented by members of President Adesina’s senior management team including the director of the Office of Integrity and Anti-Corruption, Ms. Paula da Costa.

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Development Bank Group (AfDB).

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World-leading Crypto Event Launches APAC’s Largest Debut with Consensus Hong Kong 2025

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February 21, 2025

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Blockchain

Over 350 side events transformed mega digital assets event to mega festivities
HONG KONG SAR – Media OutReach Newswire – 21 February 2025 – Regarded as the “Super Bowl of Blockchain” and “the World Cup of Web3”, Consensus, the most influential and longest-running event of the crypto world, picked Hong Kong as a destination to expand beyond North America, with a record-setting debut of nearly 10,000 from over 100 countries and regions converging at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre from 18-20 February.

Phoebe Shing, Director, Business Development Team Lead, MICE • MICE-Business Development of the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB), said, “The tremendous success of Consensus’s Hong Kong debut marked the city as one of the most conducive destinations to expand the global footprint of proven events. More than a world’s meeting place, Hong Kong is also a super-connector in the world of finance, innovation and technology (I&T) and global cultures. This mega crypto event also puts Hong Kong on the forefront of accelerating the region’s advancement, while generating high-yield tourism spending and business activities to fuel Hong Kong’s economy.”

A convergence of who’s who in the world of blockchain, digital assets and web3

Asia’s top financial policymakers, crypto thought-leaders and investors shared the main stage with Mainland and world pioneers in blockchain, digital assets and web3 fields, defining what’s next and mapping the way forward for greater impact. The cast of stellar speakers notably included Richard Teng, CEO of Binance, the largest crypto exchange by trading volume; Adam Back, CEO and co-founder of Blockstream, a global leader in Bitcoin and blockchain technologies; Yat Siu, Co-Founder & Chairman Animoca Brands, a global leader in blockchain and gaming; Hong Fang, President of OKX, a leading Web3 technology company and leading crypto exchange, and many more.

Sara Stratoberdha, CEO of CoinDesk said, “Consensus has been running for over 10 years and is one of the longest-running and comprehensive digital assets events in the world. Hong Kong, a Fintech hub in Asia serves as a global center for crypto and web3 technologies, with favourable policies and a large pool of talent for blockchain, digital assets and web3 to thrive. We are thrilled to see that over 75% of attendees are coming from outside Hong Kong. A truly international event! The city has proven the ideal choice for expanding Consensus beyond North America.”

A strong line-up of over 350 side events, delivering huge commercial value

Consensus Hong Kong 2025 was embellished with more than 350 side events, giving the energetic global crypto community diverse opportunities to showcase their expertise, create and renew partnerships and party to the heart’s content.

Michael Lau, Chairman of Consensus Hong Kong, added, “The scale of the inaugural Hong Kong event has surpassed our expectations, with nearly 10,000 attendees and what truly surprised us is that the community and industry were eager to participate and the fact that we ended up hosting over 350 side events is a strong testament to Hong Kong as a leading global FinTech hub where we have a vibrant ecosystem, entrepreneurial spirits, innovative cultures that nowhere else can replicate. I am also appreciative of the support from the HKTB in securing the event for the city I call home.”

Transforming business events into mega festivals

Consensus Hong Kong also spectacularly transformed a leading business event into a mega festival, kicking off with its Opening Party – Rooftop Revelry, held at Cloud 39, the ultra-luxury rooftop ballroom of iconic landmark in Central The Henderson that set the tone for the event’s sophisticated networking occasions. Action continued all the way to its long-established tradition of Music Festival and Crypto Fight Night, extending to Hong Kong’s unique horse-racing and night party at Lan Kwai Fong. The conference concluded with a bang with the Consensus Closing Party in Lan Kwai Fong, where participants were treated to an open bar, live music and fun networking.

Brad Spies, Vice President of Consensus, said, “Hong Kong has a long legacy of finance, banking and some of the deepest capital markets in the world; but it’s also such a vibrant and diverse city with the best restaurants, fantastic venues and unique experiences. The city simply fulfilled the promises of delivering the best of business and fun. Hong Kong is such a world-class city for people to come and transform business events into mega festivals.”

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Saudi Arabia Expands Energy Ties with Africa: A Look at Key Investments, Partnerships

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February 21, 2025

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Following Saudi Arabia’s latest energy efficiency cooperation agreement with Egypt, the African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies 2025 conference will provide a vital platform to accelerate partnerships and secure new deals between Saudi Arabia and African countries

CAPE TOWN, South Africa, February 21, 2025/APO Group/ –Earlier this week, Egypt’s Minister of Petroleum and Mineral Resources Karim Badawi and Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Energy Abdulaziz bin Salman Al Saud signed an agreement to develop an executive plan for energy efficiency cooperation, strengthening bilateral ties in the energy sector and fostering sustainable development. This follows another significant development in September, in which Egyptian Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly secured a $5 billion pledge from Saudi Arabia’s PIF, representing the “first phase” of a larger investment strategy.

As a leading global energy giant, Saudi Arabia has been actively investing in Africa’s energy sector, aiming to expand its energy reserves, advance energy diplomacy and compete with other global superpowers. This strategic push not only strengthens Saudi Arabia’s influence in the region, but also paves the way for deeper economic and political ties with African nations.

To date, the lion’s share of investment in Africa’s energy sector has focused on clean energy advancements. With total project costs reaching $7 billion across the continent, Saudi developer ACWA Power stands as the leading private-sector investor in African renewable energy. In October 2024, the company announced that its Redstone solar plant in South Africa was set to achieve its full 100 MW capacity, while its Kom Ombo solar PV plant in Egypt successfully reached its full capacity of 200 MW. ACWA Power is also leading Project DAO, South Africa’s largest hybrid renewable power plant, with an $800 million investment. The project is expected to come online by 2026 and aligns with the Kingdom’s broader Vision 2030 goals.

In addition to renewable energy, Saudi Arabia is diversifying its investments to secure critical minerals for clean energy technologies. In October, Saudi Arabia’s Manara Minerals, a joint venture between Ma’aden and the Public Investment Fund (PIF), entered advanced talks to acquire a minority stake in First Quantum Minerals’ Zambian copper and nickel assets. The potential investment, valued between $1.5 billion and $2 billion, underscores Saudi Arabia’s strategy to secure critical minerals that are vital for the global clean energy transition.

Turning to broader regional commitments, Saudi Arabia’s financial support for Africa’s energy infrastructure has grown. In October, the Kingdom announced a major funding initiative, pledging at least $41 billion for sub-Saharan African nations. This includes $1 billion for development, $5 billion for startups, $10 billion in financing from the Saudi Export-Import Bank and $25 billion in private sector investments over the next decade.

Meanwhile, the Saudi Ministry of Energy has established the “Empowering Africa” initiative as part of its broader commitment to supporting sustainable development across the continent. In collaboration with the Ministries of Communications and Information Technology and Health, the initiative aims to deliver clean energy, connectivity, e-health and e-learning solutions to enhance lives and promote long-term growth in Africa. Building upon the Clean Fuel Solutions for Cooking Program, it focuses on providing cleaner cooking solutions to vulnerable populations, aiming to reduce reliance on traditional biomass fuels and improve health outcomes for millions of households. Minister bin Salman Al Saud has emphasized energy as a fundamental human right and is spearheading efforts to improve access to clean cooking technologies across the continent.

Additionally, state-owned petroleum company Saudi Aramco is strengthening its partnerships with African nations to support energy investments and mobilization. These collaborations are expected to drive infrastructure development, enhance oil and gas production capacity and facilitate knowledge transfer between Saudi and African energy stakeholders, while aligning with broader energy security and sustainability goals.

In the multilateral arena, the African Energy Chamber is working with Saudi Arabia to support South Africa’s G20 energy investments and mobilization. This partnership is set to facilitate greater financing and policy coordination, ensuring Africa’s energy priorities are well-represented in global energy discussions. The upcoming African Energy Week: Invest in African Energies conference in Cape Town serves as a key platform to facilitate and support these investments, bringing together Saudi stakeholders, African governments and global energy leaders to advance new projects, strengthen partnerships and accelerate the continent’s energy transition. These collaborations are essential in addressing energy challenges, driving economic growth and fostering long-term sustainability. As Saudi investments expand – alongside those of other G20 nations – their impact on Africa’s energy landscape will only deepen.

AEW: Invest in African Energies is the platform of choice for project operators, financiers, technology providers and government, and has emerged as the official place to sign deals in African energy. Visit www.AECWeek.com for more information about this exciting event. 

Distributed by APO Group on behalf of African Energy Chamber.

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